An angry letter to the editor in The Iowa City Press Citizen. The author, naming two competing hospitals, claims money spent on marketing would be better spent on patient services. Unlikely the author is/was a business major.

“In this day of ever-rising costs for health care, the expense of marketing is not appreciated. We here in Iowa City know we have excellent medical care. I would rather you spend your dollars on direct costs for patient care.”

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Please read Tadd Pullin’s excellent piece in “Hospital Impact.” His point: the coming (and inevitable) transformation of American healthcare will effect dramatic changes in our marketing and communication. While we should, of course, be anticipating and adjusting accordingly, many of … Continue reading →

A sweetened/flavored, soda-like malt beverage targeting young folks is shameful. To sell it in huge containers (23.5 oz) and ramp up the alcohol content is criminal. The FTC’s overdue and meager response will do nothing to slow sales. In WebMD: … Continue reading →

I read the attached column and thought, “This is simply not to be believed. It’s truly unbelievable.” Yet, here it is. Published in an honest-to-gosh news outlet by a real columnist/former reporter– Brad Flory in MLive.com: “Judging by the number … Continue reading →

The release of HHS’s HIPAA Privacy and Security Omnibus “final” rule should provide welcome relief to marketers and fundraisers, as well as to consumers. I’ve never felt comfortable with condition-specific materials sent through USPS, and understand why consumers have pushed … Continue reading →

An ineffective physician gets the highest patient satisfaction scores. The reason? The physician has great communication skills. With payments tied to patient satisfaction scores, it would seem hospitals have a lot to gain from improving communication throughout the organization. From … Continue reading →

With 70% of specialist referrals coming from primary care physicians, the marketing opportunities are clear. This article does a nice job of showing how the process works and where it’s taking us. Missy Sullivan in SmartMoney: “In this business, it’s … Continue reading →

If you’re a parent, you know the effectiveness of misdirection, manufactured enthusiasm, and strategic re-labeling. Shouldn’t this be a component of every daycare curriculum and school lunch program? Matt Sloane on CNN: “By changing the carrots to X-ray vision carrots, … Continue reading →

It’s not healthcare related, but this sign provides a great lesson for communications professionals in every industry. Don Dimoff will live with this mistake for a long time. Cameron Smith in Yahoo Sports: “Clearly, Red Lion officials were advocating that … Continue reading →

Ray Daniels, former Chicago-based PR man, gave up his career supporting health-care companies to pursue his love for beer. And I mean this in the best possible way. He’s now a recognized expert in testing beer quality and the certification … Continue reading →